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The Disney Network
The Disney Network (originally the Walt Disney Network from its 1988 launch until 1989), simply known as Disney Network, and abbreviated as TDN (which the network has been branded as since 2005), is an American commercial broadcast television network. Created in 1988 by the Walt Disney Company in conjunction with its cable channel The Disney Channel, the Disney Network is owned by the Walt Disney Company, and is a member of the Disney Broadcasting Alliance. History The Disney Network traces its roots to premium cable network The Disney Channel, which began on-air operations on April 18, 1983. By 1985, the channel had the highest viewership of any cable channel, and it leads Disney to create a commercial broadcast television network that would air alongside the Disney Channel. Michael Eisner, the company's president, wanted a commercial television network that would be free to air for non-cable users. In November 1987, the Walt Disney Company made an agreement to purchase seven of the primary market independent television stations, including WPIX in New York and KTLA in Los Angeles, both of which had been independent of when they first signed on. The result of Disney's purchase of these seven television stations would be the creation of the Walt Disney Television Stations group, which was formed in March 1988. Then, in May 1988, the Walt Disney Company announced a new broadcast television network which would compete with CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox. The network made a soft launch on September 9, 1988, under the name "The Walt Disney Network." The first independent television station to become a Walt Disney Network affiliate was New York station WPIX, which became a network owned-and-operated station after switching from indie broadcasting. On September 1, 1989, the network changed its name to "The Disney Network." The first prime-time animated series, Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, which debuted on the same day as the name change, was one of Disney's first animated series to air at night. The Disney Network also branded its Friday night schedule lineup as Crazy Cartoon Nights/''Toonight''. From 1992 to 1995, Eisner had a three-year venture of encouraging several of the big Three-affiliated stations to switch to the Disney Network. Although most of the Disney Network's affiliates were established on the UHF frequency, he began searching for several VHF stations to switch to the Disney Network, which was previously affiliated with CBS, NBC, ABC, or Fox (whose stature was growing at the time). For instance, Ocean Falls, Louisiana station WOF-TV, channel 2, which was previously an ABC affiliate since its initial sign-on, switched to the Disney Network on September 6, 1992, after 35 years, under Michael Eisner's encouragement. Then, on July 3, 1994, former CBS affiliate WSEA-TV in Seabust, Virginia, became a Disney Network affiliate, as a result of Eisner's request. On September 1, 1995, Tailsouth, Kentucky station WTIO-TV, which had been affiliated with NBC for more than 27 years, became a Disney Network affiliate, under his request. In 1998, with the formation of four new cable networks (Toon Disney, The Ident Channel, Retromercial Television, and Promo Central), the Walt Disney Company created the Disney Broadcasting Alliance, which made the Disney Network part of the alliance and brought the Walt Disney Television Stations division under its aegis. List of programs broadcast Read more: List of programs broadcast by the Disney Network List of affiliates List of Disney Network affiliates Slogan history *1988-1989 - Prepare for the Walt Disney Network *1989-1991 - An Uplifting New Experience for Disney Network *1991-1992 - Disney Network. The Place We Are. *1992-1993 - Tune In to the Best of Disney Network *1993-1995 - Catch the Stars on Disney Network *1995-1997 - Meet the New Face of Disney Network. *1997-1998 - The Disney Network. The Return of the Mouse. *1998-2000 - This Place is Disney Network. Welcome Home. *2000-2001 - Why Watch TV, When You Can Watch the Disney Network? *2000-2012 - Fresh from the Magic Castle. (used in promos advertising new episodes of Disney Network shows) *2001-2002 - The Disney Network. Simply Good Magical TV. *2002-2003 - Mickey's Stared Network! *2003-2004 - You're Watching the Disney Network. Watch the Mouse *2004-2006 - Straight from the Mouse House. *2006-2007 - Return of the Mouse House. *2007-2008 - See It. Share It. Imagine It. *2008-2009 - Upgrading Your Favorite Shows on TDN! *2009-2010 - America's Number One Network in the Mouse House *2010-2012 - Magic in a New Dimension *2012-2013 - Anything Can Happen on TDN! *2013-2014 - TDN Rules! *2014-2015 - Now, That's Magic! *2015-2017 - Best Shows, All The Time! *2017-2018 - Feel-Good Magic TV *2018-present - This is TDN. Television from the Magic Castle. *2019 (upcoming) - TDN. Enter a World of Magic. Lyrics Read more: The Disney Network/Campaign lyrics Logo history WaltDisneynetwork88logo.png|Network logo used from 1988 to 1989, when at that time, it was known as the Walt Disney Network. Disneynetwork91logo.png|Network logo used from 1991 to 1995. Disneynetworkbug93inaction.png|Screen bug used over programs from 1993 to 1995. Sometimes, a local station's number would show up. Disneynetwork95logo.png|Network logo used from 1995 to 2001. Disneynetwork01logo.png|Network logo used from 2001 to 2005. TDN2005logo.png|Network logo used from 2005 to 2010, when it began to be branded and more simply known as "TDN." TDNscreenbug05inaction.png|Screen bug used over programs from 2005 to 2010. Sometimes, a local station's number would appear next to the screen bug. TDN 2010 logo.png|Network logo currently in use as of 2010. TDN 2019 logo.png|Network logo to be used starting in 2019. Affiliate IDs (1988-1989) Read more: The Disney Network/Affiliate IDs (1988-1989) Affiliate logos (1991-1995) Read more: The Disney Network/Affiliate logos (1991-1995) Affiliate IDs (1995-2001) Read more: The Disney Network/Affiliate IDs (1995-2001) Promos See The Disney Network/Promo scripts and The Disney Network/Promo bumpers. Category:Fictional television networks Category:The Walt Disney Company Category:The Disney Network Category:Disney Broadcasting Alliance